The British owner of Battambang town establishment Café FLIRT was arrested on Saturday on accusations of sexual harassment and child prostitution for allegedly molesting several under-age boys, an anti-human trafficking official said.

According to provincial anti-trafficking and child protection police chief Thol Yothea, café owner Jonathan Guy, 48, was arrested at his shop, where he also lived, in Battambang’s Svay Por district after it came to light that he had allegedly offered five young boys, all less than 15 years old, money in exchange for sex.

Yothea said that after police received a complaint from a parent and an NGO, police raided Guy’s café, rescuing the five boys, and seizing evidence including sexually explicit photographs. Presented with the evidence, the suspect reportedly confessed.

“The suspect lured the boys in by giving them 2,500 riel to 5,000 riel, each, for sexual acts and to take sexual photos for him in his room, as he is the café owner,” Yothea said.

The suspect allegedly told police that he had rented the building to open the café some six months ago, and that he had repeatedly called young boys, some of whom were beggars, onto the premises with the promise of money when the shop closed.

Yothea said that police had sent the victims to stay and study at an NGO, and that the suspect would be sent to court for official charges.

The Post was unable to reach Guy and police said he had yet to obtain a lawyer.